THE GENUS MASDEVALLIA. 849 



than that of belonging to the same genus; on the other hand, 

 they serve admirably to illustrate the surprising variety of forms 

 which are yet more or less closely related, as is proved by an 

 examination of the dissections accompanying the life-size drawings 

 of each plant. These dissections are uniform throughout the work, 

 and include those parts which are considered of value for specific 

 distinction, namely, the column, labellum and petals ; while a 

 section of the flower, also enlarged, shows the relative position of 

 all three. A section of the ovary, and views of the apex and section 

 of the leaf, are also given. 



We understand that the colouring of the flower on each indi- 

 vidual plate has been copied not merely from the original sketch, 

 but, whenever possible, a living specimen has been placed before the 

 colourist. Apropos of colour, the prevalence of a rich crimson lake 

 is especially noticeable ; it seems, in fact, a constant characteristic 

 of the genus. It forms the groundwork for the gorgeous expansions 

 of the bella section, showing up in striking contrast the delicately 

 worked shell-like white labellum here so unusually developed ; it 

 spots and streaks the light, often greenish, sepaline cup of the 

 coriacea group ; while in species like Davisii, with its golden-yellow 

 spreading sepals, or its brilliant scarlet or often almost magenta- 

 coloured ally, coccinea, it lurks in the interior of the flower, 

 bespattering the tip of the labellum, or tinging the keel of the 

 petal or the membranous wing of the column. Obviously it 

 indicates the common descent of all the Masdevallias, and was 

 the original colour of the ancestor, remaining, like the zebra-like 

 stripes on the young horse or donkey, in the more protected or 

 essential parts of the flower ; while the much larger, more exposed 

 spreading sepals have often in the course of variation and pro- 

 duction of species altogether discarded it, or retain only traces. 

 We have not seen the pure white variety of coccinea mentioned in 

 the text, but we are confident the crimson line would be found 

 winging the column, or staining, however slightly, the labellum or 

 petaline keel. 



Part iii. contains the following ten species : — M. Arminii, 

 Carderi, caudata, coccinea, coriacea, Davisii, Estrada, polysticta, 

 triangularis, and Wageneriana, arranged as indicated, in alphabetical 

 order. As stated at the commencement of her task, Miss Woolward 

 intends, when it is complete, to provide an arrangement of the 

 species in sections, and it is presumed that subscribers will follow 

 this arrangement in binding, as each plate and description are 

 distinct from the rest. This method of publication has one dis- 

 advantage, for, as it is not possible at the commencement to know 

 all the species procurable for illustration, no number can be 

 assigned to the individual plates, which is unfortunate as regards 



purposes of reference. 



Of the ten species, M. Arminii and M. triangularis are here 



figured for the first time. The former, described by Reichenbach 



in 1854 from specimens collected by Louis Schhm, is a native of 



Colombia and the Andes of Ecuador. In the internal structure of 



the flower it differs from other species in a remarkable projection 



